


Gives Me Toothaches

by JustCharlieBruh



Category: Fallen Hero Series - Malin Rydén
Genre: Gen, Hopefully y'all like it too, I just love a lot, I love Shark and her being intelligent enough to communicate boyos, Retribution Spoilers, This is so cute and opened a gateway to a whole new thing holy shit, animal cruelty mention but not gone into detail
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-19
Updated: 2019-04-19
Packaged: 2020-01-16 08:56:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,274
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18518158
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JustCharlieBruh/pseuds/JustCharlieBruh
Summary: Chris’ voice is shaky as he breaks the silence: “Ser Moony, there are always other dogs to meet, we can—”“This one,” they interrupt, incredulity coloring their tone, because why would they want to meet any other dog, no offense to the good boys and girls, but they can feel how their stomach tugs towards her, “tell me about her, Chris.”





	Gives Me Toothaches

They don’t know why they’re actually here, in the middle of all these dogs wanting homes, or why they took Chen’s advice. The bastard was probably just scared that they’d steal Spoon from him (which they would, absolutely and without blinking an eye, but Spoon loves him so much that they’d not be able to do it without a guilty conscience after a while) that he suggested they get a canine pal too. Kit huffs, his voice echoing in their head:

 

_"You should get one." They scratch Spoon right behind the ear, watching his leg thump against the ground._

 

_"What?"_

 

_"A dog, it's not difficult to see you love them a lot and I'd rather keep Spoon so-"_

 

_They snort._

 

_"I'm serious here, there are a lot of places around Los Diablos where you can adopt. You look like a pitbull type of person, so I'm just offering up some ideas. They're good at protecting."_

 

_"You think I need what- help? Protection?" It’s difficult not to sound offended and even more so to keep the tiny kernel of gratitude in their heart from growing. They’d grown a lot from their old days, hadn’t they? He was openly admitting his feelings to them now and they couldn’t help but appreciate that._

 

_"From whatever seems to shake you up like this?" He looks them over, how they tremble slightly. He won't admit verbally how his heart squeezes painfully in his chest, but they catch a glimpse of it before it flits away. "Yes. Dogs are loyal and love with their whole hearts, no room for betrayal like human beings."_

 

_Kit's face twists, before they give a small smile, showing the barest hint of fang, "unless you have dog treats."_

 

_"Yes, unless there are dog treats." And he lets Spoon clamber into his lap with an ease that they’re slightly jealous of, "just think on it, I have a feeling you'd feel a lot safer with a dog around instead of just having Ortega pop in unannounced."_

 

_"Just a feeling?" They crack a wry grin and Chen gives them a look before they can return that particular callback._

 

A particularly excited German Shepherd licks at the edge of their chin, bringing them out of that particular memory and they can’t help a small smile at its energy. It sort of reminds them of Herald a bit with its puppy-dog eyes and incredibly fast tail wagging.

 

They sigh in the middle of the gaggle of dogs who all vie for their attention. If they didn’t keep their guard up, they’d probably be adopting the whole damn kennel. Still, while all of them were very good boys and girls— they scratch the back of a particularly big golden retriever who has the coolness of one Lady Argent— Kit hasn’t really found one that they ‘click’ with as Chen had explained it.

 

_“You just— know, in a sense. Something slots into place in your core and you can’t help repeatedly think ‘this one is the one I want to take home’. There’s an immediate bond made in those first few seconds that ties you together and I genuinely believe that.”_

 

Ready to call it a day as the dogs are getting rowdy, they do their best to stand without treading on any limbs or tails. _Home?_ One particularly aggressive bull dog pushes his way to the front and Kit almost melts with the look he gives. They’d love to, absolutely, but they know there’s a better home for him soon. The woman with the excited eight year old in the lobby would be coming in soon and they have a feeling that these three would get along just fine.

 

 _No, not with me_ It feels odd, talking to a dog, even mentally. They don’t know if it goes through as the crowd of canines begin to push and push, eager to find a home and their heart aches for a moment. If they could, they’d adopt every single damn dog here, but alas.

 

Being a supervillain has major drawbacks after all.

 

Perhaps they’d come back tomorrow.

* * *

Chris, the aide who had helped them yesterday, greets them with a smile and heavy bags under his eyes. His hair seems deflated and his whole body screams ‘tired’. He leans against the counter, the halls behind him cacophonous with the howling of dogs.

 

“You doin’ okay there?” They’re totally not concerned. Not at all.

 

“A new influx of dogs came in,” he runs a hand through black strands, the fluorescent lights painting him slightly paler than he is, “from the fighting ring a few streets over. There are a lot of the poor dears who aren’t used to humans, Ser Moony.”

 

Kit hums a second, scratching at the scar on their cheek, shrugging, “do you want me to come back tomorrow then or something? Next week when stuff settles?”  
  
He looks run ragged, but he still shakes his head. Their respect for him grows slightly, having to run this place by himself on the weekends. He smiles again and instead of yesterday’s plastic, it’s a bit more genuine. “The dogs are usually a lot calmer when you’re around; you sure you don’t want to volunteer and keep me company?”

Ignoring the way it sounds more like an invitation to something else, they just flash him a small grin, shrugging. “I wouldn't be much good. Not really a people person as you can tell.”

 

Chris only hums before that smile grows a bit wider. It doesn’t take much for them to hear the _They’re adorable_ and Kit doesn’t know how to react, exactly. So they choose fidgeting where they stand until Chris snaps out of whatever daydream involving them he’s having. They see a flash of white, a chapel, and can’t help raising an eyebrow to themself. (Marriage material is one of the last things they’d consider themself.)

 

“Chris?” They wave a hand on his face after a few minutes of silence and a few more flashes of white (do they really look like that when they smile?), “you sure I don’t need to come back some other time? You seem a bit…” they want to say distracted, but with the way he immediately flusters at being called out, they switch it, “tired.”

 

“I’ll be alright,” he pushes himself to his feet, his face still quite flushed. He shakes his head a moment, as if to clear it, “let’s go find you your pup, Ser Moony.”

 

They just tilt their head towards the back door; an unspoken _‘After You'_.

* * *

The energy in the back room is a far cry from yesterday, solemn and full of fear. It reminds them too much of the Farm, even with the brightly colored walls meant to spark joy. Chris is at their side, his energy dampened with the way the dogs separate into clusters when they both enter the room.

 

“Sorry,” and he looks ready to apologize when they gently shake their head.

 

“It’s not your fault that humans were inherently cruel to them, Chris.” They can barely look away from the new group, how a variety of scarred up dogs seem to stand in front of those hiding behind them, like riot shield to protect the weak. They look torn between growling and whimpering, a mess of noise coming from their throats in sync. They’re terrified of this new entity, of this new being who has entered and Kit can feel the way their trust in Chris has decreased slightly. That makes them frown.

 

“It’s alright.” They pitch their voice to soothing, mentally reaching out. Projecting a calm wave, some begin to settle slightly, confused. Others hunker down and Kit soothes them without moving a hand. Soon, the room quiets down, Chris a statue at their back. They can feel his awe, like he’s witnessed a miracle and a quick _It took me several hours_ flits by before they focus back on the dogs. At least it explains how little sleep he seems to have gotten, he must have stayed up the whole night.

 

They’re about to sit back, relax, when a presence steps forward. They hear the snarl before they feel the press against their mental hand. One fights back and it leaves them with a slight headache. They wince as quietly as they can—but perhaps not quietly enough as Chris stares down at them, worried— the mass of dogs parting like the Red Sea. It’s breathtaking to see as they all defer to one hulking shadow; black fur and white splotches across it like paint against a dark canvas, it— _she_ is beautiful even as she looks like she wants to go for their throat.

 

The power in her stance as her head lowers, lips pulled back as the whites of her teeth twinkle under the fluorescent lighting. It all reminds Kit of themself and they think back on what Chen had said. All his flowery words on something slotting into them the moment they laid eyes on her, they let it play through their brain and for a quiet moment, accept that he is right.

 

They won’t admit it to his face but-

 

 _Oh no, it’s Shark_ . Comes Chris’ thought, a stray point as they feel their fingers twitch. They itch with the urge to pet her, but to her, they are something unknown and potentially dangerous. Something that can hurt the pack that have come to call her their leader and she will not allow any of them to be hurt anymore. Kit inhales shakily, eye wide. _This one_ , they think to themself, _this is the one I want to take home._

 

Chris’ voice is shaky as he breaks the silence: “Ser Moony, there are always other dogs to meet, we can—”

 

“This one,” they interrupt, incredulity coloring their tone, because why would they want to meet any other dog, no offense to the good boys and girls, but they can _feel_ how their stomach tugs towards her, “tell me about her, Chris.”

 

He clears his throat, his nervousness wafting off him in a way that would most likely attract the attention of _Shark_ (her name is Shark, they have Shark Teeth, this is meant to be) but she is far too focused on them. Kit can practically hear the way he mentally counts his blessings; it’s a bit cute how he thinks that will save him.

 

“She’s one of the last found, the vets who checked her said she was a great dane and pitbull mix, I’m sure you can see that already though,” and they do. She stands tall, firm in a way that a sweep of relief fills the others. Their leader is here, they are safe. “We call her Shark because well, her teeth and also the time she first smelt blood when another dog had snapped at a vet…”

 

He leaves the sentence hanging, the wince enough evidence of what happened as she stares them down. It only makes them love her even more. They see _themself_ in her, in each jagged crack and hidden softness, molding her anger into armor against a cruel world. They lean forward as she snarls deeply.

 

“Hello there,” they murmur, keeping their voice cool and her ears flatten, but it doesn’t deter them. They layer their voice with their mental one. _“They call you Shark, right?”_

 

 _Fitting_ , it sinks to the hollows of their bones, her power, her anger, _name of one who hurts_.

 

 _I hurt too_. They try, no longer speaking. Their fingers dig into their knees. _To live and protect._

 

 _You hurt because you were hurt,_ she snorts, shaking her head, _because you refuse to heal._

 

They lean back, brows furrowing, _are you sure you’re a dog? You’re very intelligent, considering._

 

 _It is easy to see,_ she raises herself, _it is easy to see that you will not hurt them. My pack._

 

And they nod. They can feel the way Chris thinks he’s just seen a miracle, can feel the way Shark relents. The breath trapped in their lungs releases in a big huff spilling from their lips as they slump slightly. Shark sits back on her haunches, watching, waiting, and the dogs begin to spill out from around her, slinking slowly towards Kit. They allow it, staying as still as possible as they’re sniffed.

 

When the last dog stands back, it’s Shark who steps forward towards them.

 

She huffs with each step, a hulking noise that could shake the earth, but it only shakes Kit down to their core. Brown eyes bore into their own as black and white fur ripple over muscle and their breath catches in their throat. She is beautiful, a killing machine turned kind. They see the slight limp in her leg, see the way she keeps her stomach close to the ground and they can’t help but whisper, echoing, _“beautiful.”_

 

They mean it with their whole heart and she knows it, huffing even as she lays her head on their leg and curls around them. Carefully, they raise a hand and can’t help a shaky smile as Shark presses her head against it. Kit turns to a shell-shocked Chris— who they’ve honestly forgotten was there for a moment— and their smile grows a bit stronger, “it’s her, she’s the one I’m taking home.”

* * *

When Chen sees them at the dog park next, Shark is at their side. Spoon is already bounding up towards them both as he only raises an eyebrow. They shoot him a grin as Shark’s tail thumps at the back of their leg and it grows just a tiny bit wider as he grins too, small and just as genuine.

**Author's Note:**

> Please leave a Kudos if you thought it was alright


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